Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-11-22
Kits Used by Burglars.


Burglars tools?" said a veteran police
officer, in reply to a question, "why, yes
there's lots of them around. A good many
are in the police stations. but large enough
number are left in the hands of experienced
men to keep US busy, and the owners Of
well-flled safes nervous"
Then leading the way to a closet the Officer
took down heavy bundle wrapped in rub
Der cloth. Opening this he displayed an as
sortment of tools, of sufficient variety Of
sizes and shapes to stock the shop of any
locksmith.
1--WE captured this kit" continued the
officer, 'ffrom a gang of safe-blowers, who
were Just commencing work on the safe II
the office of the Norton Mills at the Madison
street bridge. Through the nervousness o.
the Waterman who discovered them, they
were alarmed and gained sufficient time tC
make their escape, but not to take their tools
with them"
Opening a second bundle the officer took
out large, heavy instrument, that to the
casual observer might have been used fol
ANYTHING but watch repairing with equal ap-
titude. The tool, however, had been spec
iallv designed and made for the purpose OF
forcing safe doors, and was the latest product
of the profession that defes locks and lock-
smiths 1t is the latest outgrowth of the
old breast bit and brace, and is capable OF
applying enormous pressure. In common
cling operations on a safe with this instru-
ment three small holes are first bored in
the outer sheeting of the safe door, and
the brace, for such it really is, fastened
firmly to the door by means of three
screws. When this is done the hardest
labor of the thieves is over, for after pla-
cling the drill, known in the thieves slang
as ''tap," in the brace, the simple turn
ing of the crank and the use of the wheel
will speedily cut through any plate of iron
or steel, however hardened. The machine
is SO arranged that the crank merely re-
wolves the drill, while the wheel, which
closely resembles that used aboard ships,
regulates the pressure of the drill against
the metal to be cut. After having reached
the lock a plain steel rod is inserted in
the brace, and the wheel being turned the
lock is broken and the bolts left free to be
opened by turning the safe knob. The
steel braces are over an inch IN diameter.
The entire instrument is the work of an ex-
pert machinist, and shows that the greatest
care has been taken in its construction.
Among the braces and drills marked was
found a little hand vice, evidently made for
the express use of the thieves, as it bore no
manufacturers stamp or date of patent.
The wise, though only six inches in length
and operated by thumb screw, was a very
powerful one, and in addition to its use as a
wise added that of a wrench. The gang of
thieves from which this exit" was captured
had secured entrance to the office of the
Norton mills through an adjoining building,
and were hard at work upon the safe when
discovered by the night watchman. Instead
of summoning the police the Waterman
stood outside the building and shouted bur
glars" at the highest pitch of his lungs until
the thieves took the alarm and made their
escape.
A kit siniIsr to this one, though not as
powerful, was turned over to the police of
the West Chicago avenue station by q Mr..
Higgins, of No. 19 Osborn street, some
months ago. Mr.. Higgins late one night
went into a shed in the rear of his house to
get hod of coal AS he threw the light of
his lantern into the bin he saw small sachel,
and ON opening it discovered the tools.
Thinking they belonged to some machinist
who had carelessly left them there, Mr.. Hig-
gins turned them over to the police to hold,
or. however, failed to appear, and SO the kit
"a finely made lot OF burglars tools-re-
NAMED with the police. In testing the pow
er of these instruments a cast-iron plate one
inch in thickness was easily cut through in
fifteen minutes. while wrought steel plate
only required few more minutes.
The query of "Who makes these toolsT'
was propounded to dozen detectives and
police officers, but brought only the one re-
Spouse, s'The burglars themselves"
ga good craftsman" said a detective,
s:has necessarily to be good mechanic. He
naturally relies upon himself for the manu-
facture of his instruments, and as he grows
more expert in his work he grows more in
yentive. The brace over at Desplaines street
is but an Improvement on the old breast
brace. Some Ingenious craftsman evidently
discovered that the pressure of his body was
not sufficient to enable the drill to work well,
and thought of the plan to compel the safe
itself to hold the brace and furnish the pres
sure. Obi Those fellows are ingenious
enough added the detective, as he lit
cigar. ssThe only trouble is that they spend
SO much time on their inventions that they
keep US hustling night and day to keep track
Of them"